This application is based on an application No. H11-364631 filed in Japan, the content of which y incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a design aiding apparatus and a method for aiding the layout design of components in a multilayer circuit board that is formed by laminating a plurality of wiring layers, and a storage medium storing a design aiding program.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, for packaging of a circuit board composed of a plurality of wiring layers (hereafter referred to as a multilayer wiring board), a packaging technique to mount components on exposed wiring layers of the board (that is, the front surface and the back surface of the board) has been typically used.
A conventional design aiding apparatus for aiding such packaging design has the functions of aiding (1) placement of components on the front and back surfaces of the multilayer wiring board, (2) application of conductive foil on wiring layers, and (3) arrangement of conductors (hereafter referred to as vias) to connect conductive foil laid on adjacent wiring layers.
In recent years, the size of components have been decreased and the packaging techniques have been improved. This has developed a packaging technique to place components between wiring layers and connect the placed components to the wiring layers inside the multilayer wiring board. According to this packaging technique, the packaging density of the multilayer wiring board can be improved as compared with the conventional technique of placing components on the front and back surfaces of the multilayer wiring board. This has the effect of further downsizing multilayer wiring boards. With the use of this packaging technique, the size of equipment is expected to decrease further.
However, the problem is that the above conventional design aiding apparatus does not have the function of aiding the layout design of components in the multilayer wiring board, and so cannot be applied to the packaging technique to place components into the multilayer wiring board. This has been an obstacle to efficient packaging design of a multilayer wiring board in which components are placed.
The present invention aims to provide a design aiding apparatus, a design aiding method, and a storage medium storing a design aiding program that enable the layout design of components in a multilayer wiring board to be carried out more efficiently.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a design aiding apparatus that aids layout design of components in a multilayer wiring board, including: a first acquiring unit operable to acquire first location information that shows a first location in a lamination direction of the multilayer wiring board; a second acquiring unit operable to acquire second information that shows a second location on a two-dimensional plane that is orthogonal to the lamination direction; and a placement unit operable to generate component placement information that shows a space to be occupied by the component, when the component is placed at a location determined by the acquired first location information and the acquired second location information.
According to the above construction, the first acquiring unit acquires location information that shows a placement location of the component in the lamination direction of wiring layers of the multilayer wiring board, and the second acquiring unit acquires location information that shows a placement location of the component on the two-dimensional plane that is orthogonal to the lamination direction, and the placement unit generates placement information that shows a space to be occupied by the component when the component is placed at a location determined by the two types of location information. Accordingly, the design aiding apparatus of the present invention is capable of aiding the layout design of components in the multilayer wiring board.
With the use of the design aiding apparatus of the present invention, the packaging design of the multilayer wiring board in which components are placed can be carried out more efficiently.
(2) The above object of the present invention can also be achieved by a design aiding apparatus that aids layout design of components in a multilayer wiring board formed by laminating a plurality of wiring layers, the design aiding apparatus including: a first acquiring unit operable to acquire first location information that shows a first location in a lamination direction of the plurality of wiring layers; a second acquiring unit operable to acquire second location information that shows a second location on a two-dimensional plane that is orthogonal to the lamination direction; and a placement unit operable to generate component placement information that shows a space to be occupied by the component, when the component is placed in such a manner that a placement reference point of the component coincides with the second location that is on the two-dimensional plane including the first location.
According to the above construction, the first acquiring unit acquires location information that shows a placement location of the component in the lamination direction of wiring layers of the multilayer wiring board, and the second acquiring unit acquires location information that shows a placement location of the component on the two-dimensional plane that is orthogonal to the lamination direction, and the placement unit generates placement information that shows a space to be occupied by the component when the component is placed at a location determined by the two types of location information. Accordingly, the design aiding apparatus of the present invention is capable of aiding the layout design of components in the multilayer wiring board.
With the use of the design aiding apparatus of the present invention, the packaging design of the multilayer wiring board in which components are placed can be carried out more efficiently.
(3) Also, in the design aiding apparatus, the first acquiring unit may include: a wiring layer information acquiring unit operable to acquire layer information that identifies one wiring layer out of the plurality of wiring layers; and a wiring layer location acquiring unit operable to acquire the first location information that shows a location of the identified wiring layer in the lamination direction; and the placement unit of the design aiding apparatus may generate the component placement information, in such a manner that the placement reference point of the component coincides with the second location that is on the two-dimensional plane including the first location, the first location being the location of the identified wiring layer in the lamination direction.
According to the above construction, the first acquiring unit acquires location information that shows a placement location of the component in the lamination direction of wiring layers of the multilayer wiring board, and the second acquiring unit acquires location information that shows a placement location of the component on the two-dimensional plane that is orthogonal to the lamination direction, and the placement unit generates placement information that shows a space to be occupied by the component when the component is placed at a location determined by the two types of location information. Accordingly, the design aiding apparatus of the present invention is capable of aiding the layout design of components in the multilayer wiring board.
With the use of the design aiding apparatus of the present invention, the packaging design of the multilayer wiring board in which components are placed can be carried out more efficiently.
(4) Also, in the design aiding apparatus, the first acquiring unit may include: a wiring layer information acquiring unit operable to acquire layer information that identifies one wiring layer out of the plurality of wiring layers; a wiring layer location acquiring unit operable to acquire the first location information that shows a location of the identified wiring layer in the lamination direction; and a distance acquiring unit operable to acquire distance information that shows a distance from the identified wiring layer in the lamination direction; the placement unit may generate the component placement information in such a manner that the placement reference point of the component coincides with the second location that is on the two-dimensional plane including a third location, the third location being away from the first location at the distance determined by the distance information.
According to the above construction, the first acquiring unit acquires location information that shows a placement location of the component in the lamination direction of wiring layers of the multilayer wiring board, and the second acquiring unit acquires location information that shows a placement location of the component on the two-dimensional plane that is orthogonal to the lamination direction, and the placement unit generates placement information that shows a space to be occupied by the component when the component is placed at a location determined by the two types of location information. Accordingly, the design aiding apparatus of the present invention is capable of aiding the layout design of components in the multilayer wiring board.
With the use of the design aiding apparatus of the present invention, the packaging design of the multilayer wiring board in which components are placed can be carried out more efficiently.
(5) Also, in the design aiding apparatus, the first acquiring unit may include: a wiring layer information acquiring unit operable to acquire two sets of layer information that respectively identify adjacent two wiring layers out of the plurality of wiring layers; a wiring layer location acquiring unit operable to acquire two sets of location information that respectively show two locations of the identified two wiring layers in the lamination direction; and a distance adjusting unit operable to generate the first location information that shows the first location in the lamination direction of the plurality of wiring layers, in such a manner that the space to be occupied by the component is within a space between the identified two wiring layers.
According to the above construction, the first acquiring unit acquires location information that shows a placement location of the component in the lamination direction of wiring layers of the multilayer wiring board, and the second acquiring unit acquires location information that shows a placement location of the component on the two-dimensional plane that is orthogonal to the lamination direction, and the placement unit generates placement information that shows a space to be occupied by the component when the component is placed at a location determined by the two types of location information. Accordingly, the design aiding apparatus of the present invention is capable of aiding the layout design of components in the multilayer wiring board.
With the use of the design aiding apparatus of the present invention, the packaging design of the multilayer wiring board in which components are placed can be carried out more efficiently.
(6) The design aiding apparatus of the present invention may further include: an angle acquiring unit operable to acquire angle information that shows a rotation angle at which the component is to be rotated for being placed into the multilayer wiring board; and an angle judging unit operable to judge whether the component is placeable in a state of being rotated at the rotation angle shown by the angle information; wherein when the angle judging unit judges that the component is placeable in a state of being rotated at the rotation angle, the placement unit generates component placement information that shows a space to be occupied by the component when the component is placed in the state of being rotated at the rotation angle.
According to this construction, the design aiding apparatus of the present invention is capable of aiding the layout design of component in freely chosen directions within the wiring board, therefore an area needed for packaging within the wiring board can be reduced by placing components in an appropriate direction so that a distance of the wiring path is shortened.
(7) The design aiding apparatus of the present invention may further include: an angle acquiring unit operable to acquire angle information that shows a rotation angle at which the component is to be rotated for being placed into the multilayer wiring board; and an angle judging unit operable to judge whether the component is placeable in a state of being rotated at the rotation angle shown by the angle information; wherein when the angle judging unit judges that the component is placeable in a state of being rotated at the rotation angle, the placement unit generates component placement information that shows a space to be occupied by the component when the component is placed in the state of being rotated at the rotation angle.
According to this construction, the design aiding apparatus of the present invention is capable of judging whether the acquired rotation information is appropriate. Therefore, when inappropriate rotation information is acquired, the design aiding apparatus is capable of aiding the design operation smoothly by, for example, notifying an external apparatus or an operator of an error and requiring another input.
(8) Also, in the design aiding apparatus, the angle acquiring unit may acquire an angle that shows a direction orthogonal to the wiring layer as the rotation angle, and the placement unit may generate the component placement information that shows the space to be occupied by the component when the component is placed in a state of being rotated in the direction orthogonal to the wiring layer.
According to this construction, the design aiding apparatus of the present invention is capable of aiding the layout design of a component so that the component is stood up. Therefore, an area needed for packaging within the wiring board can be reduced if, for example, a component that has a connection terminal on each end is placed so as to be stood up and connected directly to a predetermined wiring layer.
(9) The above object of the present invention can also be achieved by the design aiding apparatus wherein at least one component has already been placed in the multilayer wiring board, the design aiding apparatus further including: a component placement information storing unit operable to store component placement information that shows a space occupied by a component that has already been placed; and an interference judging unit operable to judge whether the space to be occupied by the component shown by the component placement information generated by the placement unit intersects with the space occupied by the component that has already been placed, wherein when the interference judging unit judges that the space to be occupied by the component shown by the component placement information intersects with the space occupied by the component that has already been placed, the placement unit (a) calculates a rotation angle at which the component is to be rotated, in such a manner that a space to be occupied by the component when the component is placed in a state of being rotated at the calculated rotation angle does not intersect with the space occupied by the component that has already been placed, and (b) generates component placement information that shows the space to be occupied by the component when the component is placed in the state of being rotated at the calculated rotation angle.
According to this construction, the design aiding apparatus of the present invention judges that a component to be placed intersects with a component that has been already placed and amends the direction in which the component to be placed is oriented. Therefore, the labor of an operator is decreased when the operator amends the direction in which the component is to be oriented, and the layout of the component can be designed more efficiently.
(10) The design aiding apparatus may further include: a penetration judging unit operable to judge whether a space to be occupied by the component shown by the generated component placement information intersects with a wiring layer in the multilayer wiring board; and a cut-off information generation unit operable to generate, when the penetration judging unit judges that the space to be occupied by the component shown by the generated component placement information intersects with the wiring layer in the multilayer wiring board, plane information that shows a plane on which the space and the wiring layer intersect.
According to this construction, when a component with a height that exceeds a distance between adjacent wiring layers is placed into the wiring board, the design aiding apparatus of the present invention is capable of recognizing a region where a wiring conductor cannot be laid on a wiring layer because of the component. Thus, the design aiding apparatus is capable of aiding the layout design of a wiring conductor so that the wiring conductor is applied only in an appropriate region (1) by excluding the recognized region of the wiring layer from a region that can be calculated as a wiring path, or (2) by excluding the recognized region of the wiring layer when a wiring conductor for a power source wiring layer or a wiring conductor for a ground wiring layer is laid entirely on a wiring layer.
(12) The design aiding apparatus may further aid layout design of a plurality of components that are to be placed one on top of another in the multilayer wiring board, the design aiding apparatus including: a plural component storing unit operable to store a plurality of sets of component information that respectively show a plurality of types of components that are placeable one on top of another; wherein when the placement unit fetches the plurality of sets of component information, the placement unit generates component placement information that shows a space to be occupied by each of the plurality of types of components when the plurality of types of components shown by the read sets of component information are placed one on top of another, in such a manner that a placement reference point of one component out of the plurality of types of component coincides with the second location.
According to this construction, the design aiding apparatus of the present invention is capable of recognizing a plurality of types of components that function when placed one on top of another and aiding the layout design of the plurality of types of components as one group. Therefore, for example, the layout design of predetermined number of memory components that are placed one on top of another to secure predetermined storage capacity can be carried out more efficiently.
(13) The above object of the present invention may also be achieved by the design aiding apparatus, wherein each of the plurality of types of components is equipped with a connection terminal, the design aiding apparatus further including, a via connection unit operable to generate via location information that shows a placement location of a via to connect connection terminals respectively equipped on adjacent components.
According to this construction, the design aiding apparatus of the present invention aids the layout design of vias that connect connection terminals of adjacent components out of the plurality of components that function when placed one on top of another, therefore, the wiring between the plurality of components that function when placed one on top of another can be designed more efficiently. As the wiring between the such components designed based on this construction does not interfere with wiring layers, an area needed for the wiring on wiring layers is reduced, thereby reducing an area needed for the packaging within the wiring board.
(14) The above object of the present invention may also be achieved by the design aiding apparatus, wherein at least two components to be connected to each other are placed into the multilayer wiring board, the design aiding apparatus further including: a wiring component judging unit operable to judge whether a wiring component is necessary when the at least two components are connected; and a wiring component generation unit operable to generate, when the wiring component judging unit judges that the wiring component is necessary, shape information that shows a shape of the wiring component on which conductive foil is laid, the wiring component used to connect the at least two components, wherein the placement unit generates wiring component placement information that indicates a space to be occupied by the wiring component shown by the generated shape information when the wiring component is placed.
According to this construction, the design aiding apparatus of the present invention is capable of fetching at least two wiring conductors that are prevented from being directly connected on a wiring layer because of an obstacle, such as a component, a cut-off region, or another wiring conductor, and aiding the layout design of a wiring component that connects the at least two wiring conductors inside the wiring board. Therefore, the design aiding apparatus is capable of aiding the wiring design more efficiently by placing a wiring component when the obstacle interrupts the wiring on a wiring layer.
(15) The above object of the present invention may also be achieved by the design aiding apparatus, wherein a plurality of components are placed into the multilayer wiring board, the design aiding apparatus further including: a connection information storing unit operable to store a plurality of sets of connection information that respectively show a plurality of connections that connect the plurality of components; a wiring information storing unit operable to store a plurality of sets of wiring information that respectively show a plurality of wirings between some components out of the plurality of components; and an unconnection information generation unit operable to extract connections that are not realized by the plurality of wirings shown by the plurality of sets of wiring information out of the plurality of connections-, and generating connection information that shows the extracted connections as unconnection information.
According to this construction, to recognize the incomplete wiring, the design aiding apparatus of the present invention is capable of aiding a design operation smoothly by, for example, displaying the incomplete wiring so that an operator is notified of the incomplete wiring.
(16) The above object of the present invention may also be achieved by the design aiding apparatus, wherein a dielectric layer is formed between adjacent two wiring layers in the multilayer wiring board, the design aiding apparatus further including, a capacitor generation unit operable to generate foil location information that indicates two locations where conductive foil with a predetermined area is laid, the two locations respectively being on the two adjacent wiring layers and facing each other.
According to this construction, in the packaging design of the multilayer wiring board that includes a dielectric layer, the design aiding apparatus of the present invention is capable of aiding the design for forming a capacitor inside the wiring board. With this, the size of the wiring board can be reduced, as compared with a case in which the design for realizing a capacitor on a surface of the wiring board is employed.
(17) The above object of the present invention may also be achieved by the design aiding apparatus, wherein at least one component has already been placed into the multilayer wiring board, the design aiding apparatus further including: a component placement information storing unit operable to store component placement information that shows a space that has been occupied by the at least one component; and an interference judging unit operable to judge whether the space to be occupied by the component shown by the component placement information generated by the placement unit intersects with the space that has been occupied by the at least one component; wherein when the interference judging unit judges that the space to be occupied by the component shown by the component placement information intersects with the space occupied by the component that has already been placed, the placement unit (a) calculates a placement location of the component, in such a manner that a space to be occupied by the component when the component is placed at the calculated placement location does not intersect with the space occupied by the component that has already been placed, and (b) generates component placement information that shows the space to be occupied by the component when the component is placed at the calculated placement location.
According to this construction, the design aiding apparatus of the present invention judges that a component to be placed intersects with a component that has been already placed and amends the placement location of the component. Therefore, the labor of an operator is decreased when the operator amends the placement location of the component, and the layout of the component can be designed more efficiently.